


Take care

by notallballs (notallbees)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Age Difference, Canon Compliant, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 15:31:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9241790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notallbees/pseuds/notallballs
Summary: “Suga-chan?”Koushi stiffens, his back straightening instinctively as though he’s preparing to be scolded. He looks back around and realises with dawning horror that he knows the owner of the motorbike.Saeko offers Suga a ride. Suga accepts.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [helwolves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/helwolves/gifts).



> tfw your pair is so rare, there isn't even a tag to select ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Anyway, helwolves and I were both very taken by how Saeko was paying a lot of attention to Suga during the Karasuno/Shiratorizawa match. Then this happened.

It’s a grim Saturday afternoon, and Koushi still has homework to get through before he can meet up with Asahi and Daichi. But, he’s a good son, so instead of sitting hunched over his calculus, headphones turned up to drown out the noise of his sister practising her violin, Koushi rides his neighbour’s bike to the convenience store by the station. The streets are slick and bright with water running down into the gutters, but the hood of his jacket streams from his shoulders despite the rain. 

It’s one of those weeks where everything in the kitchen runs out at once, and seeing as his father can barely remember half the groceries if he’s given a list, let alone if he goes without one, it’s up to Koushi to fill the gaps in the cupboard. 

Koushi shakes himself off under the store’s awning, ruffling his fingers through his hair to unstick it from his forehead. There’s water in his hood. He considers leaving his jacket outside, but he doesn’t want the hassle of struggling back into it while it’s still wet. 

“Good afternoon!” he calls out as he steps inside, dragging his trainers across the damp carpet of flattened cardboard boxes. 

“Koushi-chan!” a voice calls from somewhere amongst the shelves. “Is that you?”

Koushi grins and peeks around the end of a display. “Hi, Takimoto-san,” he says, greeting the elderly store owner with a genuine smile. “Sorry about the mess.”

“Oh, don’t be silly,” she says, waving a hand in dismissal. “You can’t help the weather.”

They make idle, polite conversation a little longer, before Koushi excuses himself with a half truth about his mother needing him home, and scoots away to collect the things on his shopping list. Takimoto-san rings him up when he’s done, asking him the same questions about school and volleyball that she’s been asking him for years.

Although he likes the homey atmosphere of the store, taking comfort in the familiarity of a place that hasn’t changed since they moved here, it feels sticky and close with the wet, humid weather, and Koushi is eager to leave. The moment he steps outside, however, the rain starts to come down in heavy sheets. Koushi presses himself back against the outside wall beneath the awning, peering out at the dark sky with an ominous feeling in his gut. 

As he stands there, pondering whether he ought to go back inside, or perhaps just jump on Hayato’s bike and take his chances with the weather, a motorbike rolls up with a growl and skids to a stop in the mud. Its owner jumps off nimbly and kicks the bike to stand before hurrying to hide under the sagging awning. 

Koushi watches the motorbike owner curiously. She stops on the other side of the door to him and reaches up to tug off her helmet and unzip her jacket. She’s wearing a low cut top underneath, which has slipped down to show the edge of one lacy bra cup.

With a sudden flush of embarrassment, Koushi forces himself to look away. _Don’t look at her chest_ , he tells himself fiercely, willing his gaze back out to the unforgiving weather. _Do not look at her chest_.

“Suga-chan?”

Koushi stiffens, his back straightening instinctively as though he’s preparing to be scolded. He looks back around and realises with dawning horror that he knows the owner of the motorbike. 

_Don’t look oh god don’t look at her chest that’s Tanaka’s sister for the love of your sanity do not look at her chest_.

“S—Saeko-san!” he says, trying to remember how to smile normally. He lifts his hand in greeting and the bag of groceries hits him in the head. “Ow, shit—”

Saeko laughs. Not a giggle that she tries to hide, or a snort behind her hand; she lets out a loud bark of laughter and reaches over to slap him on the shoulder. “Careful, kiddo,” she says, grinning at him. “You’re one of the smart ones, you need those braincells.”

“Ah, yeah,” Koushi says sheepishly, rubbing his head for a moment to dispel the shock of smacking himself with a bottle of mirin. He hopes he hasn’t cracked any of the eggs. “Um, what brings you here?”

“Booze run,” she says, sighing. “The wadaiko guys are having a party later.” She laughs and reaches up to grab the lapels of her jacket, flicking the water off her shoulders. One drop runs down her chest, rolling down into her cleavage. Koushi forces his eyes away. “I mean, if you can call it that. Two beers in and all they want to do is sit around playing mahjong and gossiping like old housewives.”

Koushi can smell Saeko’s perfume, or maybe it’s just the scent of her shampoo. He has to fight hard to keep his chin raised and his eyes on her face. “Ah, um—well, that can be fun too?”

Saeko grins and reaches out to poke him in the shoulder. “I’ll trade you, if you want.”

“Oh—aha, um, I don’t think you’d be very interested in my plans either,” Koushi says with a wonky smile. He can feel the place she touched him just below his collarbone. Saeko looks at him curiously and Koushi panics for a moment when he realises that she’s waiting for him to elaborate. “Uh—it's just that—I mean, I have homework, and uh—I’m just meeting up with Asahi and Daichi afterwards.”

“Ohh, I don’t know then,” Saeko says, leaning closer to be heard over the rain. “I can think of worse things than spending my evening with three handsome young men.”

The words hover between them, tangled in the heavy air. Koushi can feel his ears getting hot, even though he knows that it was a joke. Saeko takes a step back, her eyes widening slightly.

“So, I should—” she says quickly. “Uh, beer!”

Koushi nods gratefully. _Don't look at her chest don't do it_. “Right, I should really get home.”

They both turn to peer out at the pouring rain and Koushi pulls a face. 

“If you can wait, I'll give you a ride,” Saeko says, pointing in the direction of her bike with her thumb. 

Koushi follows the gesture and lets his eyes linger on the sleek, dripping shape of the motorbike standing in the rain. “I—”

“It’s no trouble,” Saeko says, grinning at him.

“Oh, no, I—” Koushi fumbles, before giving himself a mental kick. _Get a grip, it’s just Tanaka’s sister._ “I brought my neighbour’s bike, so I’d better take it home again.”

Saeko laughs and gives him a commiseratory punch on the arm that makes him wince. “Bad luck,” she says, still giving him that brilliant smile that makes his knees feel weak. Maybe that’s just the thought of riding a motorbike. “Maybe some other time, eh?”

“You can give me a ride anytime, Saeko-san,” Koushi says without thinking. When his brain catches up to his mouth, he flushes all over and scrambles to pull up the hood of his jacket. “Um! I—I have to get back, bye.”

“You should come!” Saeko yells as he dashes out into the rain.

Koushi pulls up short, almost tripping over his own feet. He looks over his shoulder and sees Saeko standing at the edge of the awning, so close to the rain that it’s splashing the front of her shirt. Koushi stares at her. “Um, sorry, what?”

“Come to the party!” she yells, cupping her hand around her mouth even though he’s only gone two metres. 

Still walking, Koushi stumbles this time and quickly rights himself before he falls face first into a puddle. “Uh, really?”

“Yeah!” she says excitedly. “Bring Asahi-kun and Daichi-kun with you, it’ll be great.”

“Oh,” Koushi murmurs, his face getting hot. “I don't know if…” 

He trails off at the sight of her smile fading. His mind runs faster than he can keep up with. What he'll tell his parents, what he'll tell Daichi and Asahi, how much he'll regret it if he walks away now.

“I don't know if they'll be able to come,” he says after a moment, fear and excitement swelling up in his chest. “But I can ask.”

Saeko’s smile is so bright, Koushi almost forgets about the rain completely. “Well then!” she says, gesturing for him to come back. “Come and give me your email address then, and I'll message you about tonight.”

Koushi swallows and reaches into his pocket for his phone.

 

 

“Remind me again why I let you talk me into this.”

Koushi looks over his shoulder and gives Daichi a nervous grin. “You're starting to sound like Asahi,” he teases, laughing when Daichi scowls and kicks the back of his shoe.

“I’m not that bad,” Daichi mutters. “Nobody’s as bad as Asahi.”

Koushi laughs again. “True.”

“I’m right here, guys,” Asahi whines from behind Koushi’s other shoulder. Daichi kicks Koushi’s shoe again, making them both giggle, and Asahi sighs. “Why am I here?

“You need more excitement in your life, beardy.”

Asahi makes a helpless sound, possibly appealing to Daichi's humanity by making himself sound as pathetic as possible, but if that's his plan, it doesn't work. There's a scuffling sound, followed by muffled laughter and the sound of their trainers catching on the pavement. Koushi sticks his hands in his pockets and grins at the overcast sky. 

"Gu—uys," he sing-songs at them, before turning on the spot and walking along backwards so that he can give them a really terrifying smile. 

Daichi is holding Asahi in a headlock, while Asahi is trying to kick Daichi's feet out from under him. Sometimes Koushi wishes their kouhai could see them like this, but he also knows that they'd lose any hope of keeping the kids in line if they knew that Daichi and Asahi are both secretly giant babies.

"I know you're excited, but could you maybe try and act your age for half an hour? Please?"

They shove away from each other and straighten up, looking only mildly chastened. 

"Act our age, Suga?" Daichi murmurs, spelling it out with air quotes. "In case you forgot, grandpa, we're still seventeen."

"Tch." Koushi turns his back on them, resuming his regular gait. "Babies."

Asahi gasps. "Hey!"

There's a muffled snigger, and then Daichi's voice. "You're the biggest baby of all of us," he says. His words are followed by another scuffling sound, probably Asahi elbowing him.

“Anyway,” Asahi says in a sulky voice when they’re done fighting. “What’re we supposed to do at this party anyway? Who’s even going to be there except for Tanaka and Saeko-san?”

“Oh, I don’t think Tanaka will be there.” Koushi keeps his voice light, trying to pretend that he hasn’t already anticipated the hysteria that will ensue from his words. 

Sure enough, there’s a brief silence, and then both of them shout at once. “Wait, _what_?”

“I’m sure I mentioned,” Koushi says, waving his hand vaguely. “It’s not even really a party, it’s just Saeko and the guys she drums with having a few beers.”

“ _Beer_?” Asahi hisses. Koushi turns around just to fully appreciate his scandalised expression, as if he’s never had a drink in his life. The big liar. He actually looks like he might pass out. “We can’t drink around a load of grown-ups, we’ll get in trouble!”

Koushi bursts out laughing, and Daichi sniggers like an old man. 

“Asahi,” Koushi says through his laughter. “You look like a thirty year old, and Daichi literally got mistaken for someone’s dad at the last cultural festival—”

“I did not!”

“You did, and shut up. Of the three of us, I’m the one who looks like a twelve year old girl, you two really don’t need to worry.”

That, mercifully, shuts them up. Koushi does feel a little bad about dragging them over here under false pretences, and for encouraging them to tell little white lies to their parents—not that Asahi’s dad would really mind at all what they get up to—but he didn’t quite feel brave enough to head over to meet Saeko on his own. Not to mention, he was a little worried that he was reading way too much into the situation. Showing up with his friends would hopefully dispel the awkwardness if it turned out that Saeko really wasn’t interested in him being there. 

“Hey, Suga?”

Koushi glances back again at the sound of Daichi’s voice. “Mm?”

“If it helps, I think you could definitely pass for a thirteen year old girl.”

“Maybe even fourteen,” Asahi adds, grinning.

Koushi grins at them. “You’re going to regret that so much.”

 

 

When they reach the Tanaka household, Koushi almost wants to turn around on the spot and go straight home. Only the knowledge of Asahi and Daichi looking like frightened rabbits behind him convinces him to ring the doorbell. 

A gruff-looking middle aged man opens the door, and all Koushi can think at first is _at least it wasn't Tanaka_.

“Hi!” he says, more confidently than he feels. He bows politely. “We're—”

“Saeko’s friends, right,” he says, giving them a broad smile. “Come in, Saeko’s in the kitchen.”

They shuffle inside and kick off their shoes. Koushi recognises Tanaka’s volleyball shoes and gym bag shoved to one side, and Saeko’s motorcycle helmet hanging up with her leather jacket. He shrugs out of his jacket and scarf and hangs them up neatly. 

Saeko’s friend watches them with amusement. He's a big guy; probably the same height as Daichi, but broad with a barrel chest and a generous gut. Koushi can't quite fathom the look the guy is giving them; not unfriendly, but wary maybe. Or maybe just rolling his eyes at the stupid kids trying to act out for one night.

“This way,” he says, when they're all stripped of shoes and coats, and leads them along a narrow hallway. 

The house feels cosy and spacious at the same time, reminding Koushi of his grandparents’ house. His own family live in a modern apartment, but he likes the feel of the worn tatami under his feet, and the way the floorboards creak like a welcome. 

“Saeko!” the man yells, throwing open the door to the kitchen. Asahi yelps at the noise and grabs hold of the back of Koushi’s sweater. “Your special guests have arrived!”

“This is the worst idea you've ever had,” Daichi hisses in his ear. 

Koushi just shrugs, pastes on a grin, and walks into the kitchen. 

“Suga-chan!” 

There's just enough time for Koushi to brace himself before Saeko grabs him in a crushing hug. 

“Hi—hnngh—” Koushi groans when she squeezes him tighter. “Hi, Saeko-san.”

“I’m so glad you guys came!” she yells, releasing him finally and then grabbing Daichi by the collar of his shirt. Daichi makes a strangled noise as he’s yanked in for an equally punishing hug, both Suga and Asahi hiding their sniggers at the sound. It almost hurts to laugh, his ribs aching slightly from being squeezed so hard—Saeko is deceptively strong for someone who's not that big—but it's worth it for the muffled sound of betrayal that comes out of Daichi.

“Okay!” Saeko yells when she lets him go, turning to give Asahi a solid punch to the shoulder that brings tears to his eyes. “Let's get you boys something to drink.” 

 

 

True to form, most of Saeko's wadaiko friends have already settled down to play a game—cards, not mahjong. Three of the four crowded around the low table get up to welcome them, while the fourth, the only woman, gives them a friendly wave and apologises for her bad back. 

The men are all different ages; the youngest looks around Coach Ukai’s age, and Koushi offers up a brief prayer in hope that they're not friends. As soon as they're done with introductions, the doorbell chimes again, and a couple of minutes later Saeko pours into the room again with two other women around her age. Asahi goes stiff beside him, and Koushi can almost _feel_ the panic pouring off him.

“What is it?” he hisses, hiding his mouth behind his beer can.

Asahi doesn’t move. In fact, Koushi is fairly sure he’s stopped breathing. He reaches over and flicks him on the shoulder. “Hey, Asa—”

“ _Asahi-chan!_ ” 

Asahi nearly jumps out of his seat, and Koushi almost throws beer all over himself in surprise. They both spin around and find one of Saeko’s newly arrived friends advancing on them with a determined expression. 

“Asahi-chan, how funny to see you here!” she says, halting just in front of the couch.

“What the hell is going on?” Daichi mutters in Suga's ear.

Suga flaps a hand over his shoulder, hushing him. Watching Asahi get embarrassed would probably be on a list of his top ten favourite things. Maybe even top five. 

Slowly, Asahi gets to his feet, looking like a man going to his execution. “Um...hello, Kikuko-san.” He casts Daichi and Koushi an anxious look. “Um, Kikuko-san is our hairdresser…”

“Asahi-chan,” she says, grabbing his shoulder and grinning. “Introduce me to your friends!”

Asahi does, shaking slightly, and they greet her with probably more formality than the situation requires. She smiles at them both, before turning her blinding attention back on Asahi. 

“Look at you!” she says excitedly, grabbing him in a fierce hug and squeezing him so hard that he squeaks. 

Koushi has to turn and muffle his laughter in Daichi's shoulder. When he finally looks up, Asahi is being led across the room by his wrist to meet Saeko's other friend, looking like a lamb going to slaughter. His arms are stiff at his sides and for a moment Koushi almost feels bad for dragging him here. Being surrounded by hot but intimidating older women is not exactly Asahi's idea of a good time. 

“Should we rescue him?” Daichi mutters. 

“You're so overprotective,” Koushi teases, and to his delight, Daichi bristles. 

“I am not, I'm just—”

Koushi laughs and puts his hand on Daichi's back. “I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Go help him out before he bursts a blood vessel.”

“Will you be—”

“I'm _fine_ , Daichi,” Koushi says, grinning as Daichi gets to his feet. He gives Daichi an encouraging slap on the behind and watches with delight as his ears turn red. 

Watching Daichi attempt to run interference with Kikuko and her other friend is strangely enjoyable, especially when he overhears the words ‘volleyball captain’ and it becomes obvious that they've realised how good he looks in that t-shirt. 

Someone plops down beside him on the couch with a sigh, and Koushi looks round in surprise to find that it's Saeko. 

“Suga-chan,” she whines, sitting far too close to him. “I feel like a terrible host! Kiku and Ria just up and stole your friends and here you are, all alone.”

Koushi swallows. He can smell Saeko's perfume again—or shampoo, he’s still not sure—and feel the warmth of her bare arm where it presses against his own. “Well then,” he says unsteadily. “I guess you'll have to entertain me.”

Saeko laughs and Koushi’s insides twist. “Okay,” she says, beaming at him. “Deal.”

 

 

Saeko, it turns out, is very easy to talk to. 

They sit turned to face one another on the couch, and Saeko teases him for being smarter than she is while they argue over the ending of their favourite tv show. Koushi and his dad have been obsessed with watching soap operas together since Koushi was twelve and broke his arm falling off a climbing frame in the playground, and he recounts the story for Saeko, enjoying her unapologetic laughter.

“You did not do a cartwheel on top of a climbing frame,” she says, holding in her giggles.

“That's true,” Koushi replies with a canny grin. “But it wasn’t for lack of trying.” Saeko bursts out laughing again, and Koushi indicates across the room to where Daichi and Asahi are still being held prisoner. “Ask Asahi, that’s how we met.”

Saeko’s eyes widen. “You didn’t fall on him, did you?”

Koushi cackles. “Almost. I fell off right in front of him, and he saw that I was hurt and ran to get help. We didn’t really know each other until Karasuno, because we went to different middle schools, but he came to see me in the hospital.”

“That’s adorable,” Saeko says, leaning closer and affecting a stage whisper. “Almost like a romance.”

“Oh my god, don’t let him hear you,” Koushi says, snorting with laughter. “He’ll think you’re serious.”

“I am serious!”

Koushi snorts again, this time taking a mouthful of beer up into his nasal passage by sheer misfortune. He chokes and coughs, spilling beer down the front of his sweater.

“Shit,” he says, spluttering and laughing as he tries to mop his face with his sleeve. “Everyone’s going to think I’m drunk.” From the corner of his eye, he’s sure that Daichi turns his way, and Koushi primes himself to receive an intervention. 

“That one was my fault,” Saeko says loudly, grabbing his wrist. She gets to her feet, tugging him up after her. “I’ll get you cleaned up, follow me.”

Saeko leads him back to the kitchen, ushering out the two men having a genial agreement about cars, and closes the door behind them. When they're alone, she hands Koushi a piece of paper towel to wipe his face, and wets another so that she can dab at the damp spots on his clothes. They probably aren’t any closer than they were on the couch, but Saeko doesn’t seem to mind where she puts her hands. Most of Koushi’s female friends are pretty modest, like Shimizu, or his neighbour Satomi-chan, so he isn’t used to having girls put their hands all over him. 

_Don’t get a hard-on_ , he wills himself furiously. _Please whatever you do just don’t get a hard-on now oh my god_.

Saeko rests one hand over his chest while she pats at a wet patch on his stomach, and Koushi’s hand clenches at his side, crumpling the paper towel in his fist.

“It—it's really okay,” he stammers, “you don't have to—”

Saeko looks up at him and his voice fades to nothing. It's strange, because she's so larger than life that Koushi always thinks she must be at least as tall as him. Her hands curl into the front of his sweater, brushing against his stomach through his clothes, and Koushi feels himself starting to overheat, his cheeks flushing scarlet. 

“Um—” 

“You should take this off,” she says, staring up at him intently and giving the material a gentle tug. 

Koushi nearly implodes. “Uh, w—huh?”

“So I can soak it,” she says, smiling at him patiently. “You can borrow something from Ryuu, if you want.” 

“Oh, uh—it's really okay,” he says haltingly.

Saeko shakes her head and moves her hands down to his hips. “I can't send you home like this,” she says, her voice dipping low. “Come on, Suga-chan.” She grins. “Or maybe you don’t like taking orders?”

Koushi can't look away from her. His mouth feels dry and he can't stop looking at Saeko's lips, wondering if they'd be as soft to kiss as they look. 

A loud noise from the next room makes them both jump, Saeko’s hands jerking away from him. They move back from one another instinctively, both turning to look at the door, but nobody comes in. 

Koushi lets out a soft sigh of relief and risks looking at Saeko again. She looks just as startled as he is at first, but when their eyes meet, her mouth curves up in an evil smile.

“Unless you want to take your clothes off somewhere more private?” she asks, giving him a heavy look. 

Koushi takes a quick, startled breath. He nods.

Saeko’s smile grows and she takes his wrist. “This way.” 

 

 

Saeko leads him back along the hallway they came in by, but rather than heading toward the front door, she pulls him along another hallway and into a darkened bedroom. 

“Here we go,” she says, dropping his wrist and flicking a light switch. For approximately three seconds, Koushi gets an unadulterated view of one of the messiest bedrooms he's ever seen, before Saeko swears and flicks the light off again. 

“Uh...I wasn't expecting company.”

Koushi grins. “I won't look,” he whispers, thinking of his own tidy bedroom at home, and deciding that when he moves away to university, he's going to live in an absolute sty. “I'm only here to take my clothes off anyway.”

“Right!” Saeko says, snapping her fingers. “I'll get you something to wear.”

She disappears into the hallway again, and Koushi immediately breaks his word by glancing around at the mess. It's still dark, but Saeko left the door open behind her, so light comes in from the hallway and illuminates the piles of clothes and various detritus littering the floor. 

A burst of laughter somewhere down the hallway makes Koushi startle and look over his shoulder, but he feels far removed from the party in here. He wonders if Asahi and Daichi have noticed that he and Saeko still aren't back. He wonders if they would leave without him. With a sigh, he grabs the back of his sweater and tugs it over his head. His t-shirt comes with it, and he spends a moment helplessly fumbling to untangle the shirt and sweater from inside.

“Don't mind me,” Saeko says from behind him. 

Koushi jumps again, yanking both his t-shirt and sweater down to cover his chest, his arms still trapped in the sleeves. 

“O-oh, Saeko-san,” he says, turning to face her. His face doesn't seem to know what to do, so he settles for giving her a faint smile and hoping that he doesn't look too strange. He feels skinny and awkward in front of her. For probably the first time in his life, he fervently wishes that he had Asahi's arms, or Daichi's abs, or even just a couple of extra inches of height. 

“That bruise is wild,” she says, reaching out and putting a hand on his arm to turn him around again. The morbid glee in her voice reminds him of Nishinoya. “Is that from practice?”

One of her hands flattens against the small of his back, and he gasps softly at the sensation of her cool palm against his skin. In the excitement of the afternoon, he had almost forgotten about the bruise on his shoulder, and the reminder makes it ache again. 

“I, um. Slipped off my bike, after I saw you earlier.” 

“No!” Saeko says, sounding scandalised. She's quiet for a moment, then she gives him a hard slap in the middle of his back that makes him wince. “That's it! Next time, I give you a ride.”

“Thanks,” he says weakly, wondering if this is how Asahi feels all the time. 

“Ah, sorry.” Saeko peeks around his arm with a contrite grin. “I spend too much time around guys.”

“I know the feeling.”

He starts to pull his arms out of his sweater, but Saeko stops him with a gentle touch on his arm, just below the bruise. 

“Does it hurt?” Her voice is soft and curious, nothing like her usual excited tone.

“I guess,” Koushi murmurs. Saeko brushes her fingertips over the bruised skin and he shivers, goosebumps rippling up his arms and making the hairs on his nape stand up. 

“Does that hurt?”

Koushi shakes his head. He can feel Saeko’s breath against his bare shoulder. Her thumb runs over the bruise, a little more firmly this time, and then she presses down just enough to make it ache. Koushi draws in a quick breath, but he doesn’t speak. Saeko’s fingers close around his upper arms and she leans in closer. Her hair brushes Koushi’s shoulder, and then she places a soft, deliberate kiss right over his bruise.

Koushi's breath comes shuddering out. He shivers again from head to toe, and draws his breath back in sharply. He can feel himself starting to blush again, his cheeks warm while his chest is cold from being uncovered. Saeko slips one of her hands around his waist, stroking her fingertips over his hip, and then across his stomach. 

" _Ah_ —Saeko-san," he whispers, cursing the shake in his voice. He's not sure if she even heard him. 

Saeko's fingers trail down to touch the edge of his underwear where it peeks out of his jeans, one fingertip running along the edge, teasing at the sensitive skin of his abdomen. Koushi bites his lip and clenches his fists inside his sweater while he tries to tamp down a vicious spike of arousal. 

“Suga-chan,” Saeko murmurs, her lips moving against his shoulder. She flicks at the waistband of his underwear. “Want to stop?”

Koushi is still clutching his sweater, which is probably for the best because he’s fairly sure that his palms have started sweating. He draws in a shaky breath and lets it out again slowly. “I don’t want to stop,” he says, his voice a little raspy but not too embarrassing.

Saeko moves closer to him; Koushi can feel her breasts pressed against his back, her breath on his shoulder. “Me neither.”

With another breath to steady himself, Koushi turns around, relinquishing his deathgrip on his sweater and letting it fall to the floor to join the rest of the mess. Saeko's eyes are wide in the darkness, but they're half covered by her fringe falling in her eyes. Gathering the shreds of his courage, Koushi lifts one shaking hand and brushes her hair to one side. 

"Nervous?" she whispers, moving a little closer. 

Even though they aren't touching anywhere else, Koushi can feel the heat of her body through their clothes, and it's like a match to the kindling in his chest. He cups his hand around her cheek and dips his head down to press their lips together. Saeko surges up to meet him, sliding an arm around his neck and pulling him down so that she can kiss him more fully. Koushi's eyes fly wide in surprise, but when he sees that Saeko's are closed, he relaxes and kisses her back. 

Koushi hasn't kissed many people, but at least he's kissed more than none (if Asahi were here right now, he would be getting a significant look aimed in his direction, but overall, Koushi is relieved that Asahi is somewhere else). Saeko's mouth is soft and warm, and doesn't taste of lip gloss or cherry cola, like his last two kisses did. She tastes a little of beer, but so does Koushi, and he likes the way her bottom lip is plump and full between his own, and the way her mouth stretches wide to put her tongue into his. One of her hands moves into his hair, tugging gently, while the other grabs his free hand and moves it to her waist.

"Ah—are you—” Koushi gasps, breaking away for a moment. "Is this—”

" _Suga_ ," Saeko says breathlessly. Her hand is still on his. She moves it upward, sliding it over the thin fabric of her shirt. Koushi's face starts to flame, but Saeko doesn't stop. She pushes Koushi's hand until he's cupping her breast through her shirt, and he can feel her nipple rubbing against the heel of his palm. He can't help but wonder how painfully obvious it is that he's never done this. 

“I—”

“Want to stop?” she asks again, gently dragging her fingers through his hair.

Koushi shakes his head. He bends again to kiss the corner of Saeko's mouth, then her cheek, feeling it curve against his mouth when she smiles. Feeling brave, he slides his other hand down to touch her ribs, and then cups both hands over her breasts. 

With a sigh, Saeko lets her head tip back and pushes her chest against his hands. Her breasts fill his palms, soft and warm, enough of her cleavage showing over the neck of her shirt that he just wants to bury his face in it. While Koushi is marveling over her chest, Saeko runs her fingertips down the length of his spine. 

“Holy shit, your skin is so soft,” she says, tilting her head in to kiss the underside of his chin. “Mmm, I could eat you up.”

“No complaints from me—ah!” Koushi gasps when Saeko sucks gently on the side of his neck. Her laughter tickles his throat, and she pushes her fingertips into the back of his underwear, teasing at the sensitive patch of skin above his tailbone. 

Koushi moans, muffling the sound against Saeko's mouth when she reaches up to kiss him again. She moves her hands to the front of his jeans and pops open the button. The simple action makes Koushi's brain short circuit. On the other hand, it kickstarts his useless muscles, and he finally moves his hands from her breasts, sliding them down to hold her waist while Saeko sucks on his tongue. 

Koushi’s phone vibrates in his front pocket, surprising both of them. 

Saeko draws back and looks down at the front of his jeans with a smirk. “Is that a special feature?”

“Sorry,” Koushi says, flushing scarlet. He wriggles his hand into his pocket and extracts his phone. 

_wer th hell r u?_

Koushi rolls his eyes. "It's Daichi, sorry. I think they're worried about me."

"Maybe they should be," Saeko says, looking up through her eyelashes.

Swallowing heavily, Koushi hits the button to reply. "What should I tell him?"

Saeko grins and takes a step backwards, reaching for the open door. "That depends if you want to stay or not."

Not for the first time that day, Koushi feels like pinching himself just to make sure he's really awake. He glances down at his phone and Daichi's irritated message. His lips feel hot and swollen from kissing Saeko, and his skin tingles where she touched him. His mouth is dry. 

Koushi swallows. “I want to stay.” 

He looks up, and Saeko meets his eyes before slowly sliding the door shut. 

 

 

Koushi stumbles into the entryway at the same moment that Asahi and Daichi emerge from the other door, the sounds of the party spilling out into the hallway with them. 

“Well well,” Daichi says, folding his arms. 

Asahi mimics his posture. “Well well w—eh!” He breaks off with an anxious little cry when the door slams behind them. 

Koushi does a bad job of covering his snort of laughter, but Asahi looks at him with only a cursory level of betrayal. Ah. The heat is still on him then. “Well indeed,” he says cheerfully, slipping his hands in his pockets and trying to look casual. “Having a good time?”

“You tell us.” 

Daichi's poker face is second to none. Fortunately, there's still Asahi. 

“Yeah, Suga, you tell—ugh!” Asahi jumps at the sound of a glass breaking and a burst of laughter from the other room. 

Daichi sighs heavily, patting him on the shoulder. “Maybe we should go.”

“Aww, come on,” Koushi teases. “Asahi gets one little scare and you want to take him home? He'll never grow like this.”

Already busy hustling Asahi in the direction of the door, Daichi pauses to glare at Koushi over his shoulder. “Don’t push me, Suga. It’s already past his bedtime—”

“I don’t have a bedtime!”

“And he just spent two hours getting fondled by his hairdresser—”

“She was _not_ —”

Daichi sighs and jabs Asahi in the ribs. “She played with your hair for an hour, _and_ they kept touching your biceps, and saying things like—” Daichi took a breath and adopted a high pitched voice. “Oh, Asahi-chan, you’re so—”

“Don’t!” Asahi hissed, twisting around and clapping his hand over Daichi’s mouth. “ _Don’t_ remind me.”

Koushi stares at them for a moment, feeling indescribably warm and full of love for his friends. The fight plays out the same way as ever: Daichi licks Asahi’s palm; Asahi retaliates by shoving his hand up Daichi’s shirt and wiping the saliva on his stomach, then shrinks away when he realises what he’s done; Daichi grabs Asahi in a headlock.

“Guys,” Koushi says through his laughter. “We’re being adults, remember?”

“Speak for yourself!” Asahi yells. He quickly claps a hand over his own mouth, his eyes darting fearfully to the door separating them from the party.

Koushi sighs and pats him on the shoulder, turning him gently back toward the door. “Come on, Daichi’s right, let’s get out of here.”

“Sorry,” Daichi says, putting his hand out. “What was that? I’m hard of hearing tonight.”

“I said let’s _go_.”

Daichi sniggers while he’s pulling on his coat, and Koushi grins. Asahi continues to look terrified, but Koushi is fairly sure he’ll perk up when the threat of oversexed hairdressers is removed. They get ready with minimal incident, and Daichi herds them outside like a dog herding ducks. 

The night outside is bitter, and Koushi swears and hurriedly fastens his coat as they step out onto the porch. 

“Suga,” Asahi says quietly, while Daichi shuts the door behind them.

“Mm?”

“You reek of sex.”

There’s a long moment of silence while his words sink in, in which Koushi can almost _feel_ Asahi turning pink.

“And how would you know what sex smells like, Ace?”

Asahi covers his face. “Daichi, oh my god—”

Koushi bursts out laughing, the sound echoing off the houses around them.

“ _Suga_ ,” Asahi hisses, peeking out from behind his hands. 

“You’re going—to wake—everyone up,” Daichi chokes out, but it doesn’t carry much weight, because he’s clinging to Koushi’s shoulder to keep himself from keeling over with laughter. 

Asahi groans and turns away from them. “I hate you both,” he whispers fiercely. 

“Oh my god,” Daichi moans, wiping his eyes with one hand, and clinging to Koushi with the other. “Suga...you really do reek of sex.”

They both collapse in a fit of giggles, clutching at one another to stay upright. Koushi tries to ask Daichi how _he_ knows what sex smells like, but he’s laughing too hard to voice a single word. He clings to Daichi’s coat, tears running down his face. The sheer absurdity of the evening is catching up to him now, not to mention the realisation of what he did tonight. Lying to his parents, sneaking out, drinking without permission...the list of rules he’s broken in the space of a few hours is really quite impressive. And then there’s Saeko. 

Koushi straightens up slowly, wiping his face on Daichi’s shoulder. “Oh wow,” he says quietly, before taking a few deep breaths to try and dispel the lightheadedness he feels from laughing so much. Even Asahi is laughing along a little, giving in to the ridiculous situation despite his worries. The thought of Asahi’s hairdresser almost sets Koushi off again, but he manages to restrain himself to a brief giggle, swallowing down his hysteria.

“Come on,” Daichi says, grabbing Koushi’s wrist. “We really will be in trouble if we don’t get back soon.

Koushi lets himself be dragged down the path. He looks back at the Tanakas’ house once, while Asahi is fumbling to open the gate. It looks squat and content in the darkness, its windows warm with light. With a happy sigh, Koushi turns and follows his friends out onto the quiet street.

They start to walk in the direction of Daichi’s house, the nearest one to Tanaka’s, but they’ve only gone a few metres when the door crashes open again, and a voice calls out.

"Suga-chan!"

Koushi feels excitement chase up his spine like a shiver and he catches Daichi's eye for one strange, brilliant moment in the eerie light of the streetlamps. Daichi grins at him and gives a helpless shrug, and Koushi grins back before slowly turning around. 

Saeko stands in the doorway, silhouetted against the light coming from inside the house. She's still wearing the same tank top, her arms and shoulders bare and pale in the darkness. Koushi can't help but think of how cold she must be. She lifts her arm and waves to him

"Go on then." Daichi hits him between his shoulder blades with the flat of his hand and Koushi stumbles forward a few steps. 

Daichi didn't hit him hard, but it twinges Koushi's bruise and makes him wince. Instinct tells him to turn around and punch Daichi in the shoulder in response, but instead he makes himself keep walking. Saeko takes another step, coming to the edge of the porch. Koushi unlatches the gate and walks up the path, halting at the bottom of the porch steps. With Saeko standing two steps above them, they're about the same height. 

"Hey, Saeko--"

"Didn't anybody teach you to thank your host?" she says, reaching out and cuffing his uninjured shoulder with the side of her fist. 

The grin on her face reassures him that she isn't serious, but Koushi still finds himself blushing at the rebuke. "I'm sorry," he says, bowing his head slightly. "Thank you for your hospitality, Saeko-san. I had a wonderful time."

Koushi lifts his head again just in time to catch the wicked gleam in Saeko's eye. "Leaving without saying goodbye, Suga-chan," she said in a low voice, leaning closer. "I should've known you were a heartbreaker, with a pretty face like that."

Saeko still hasn't bothered to put her bra back on, and Koushi can see her nipples standing out through her shirt. Already he can feel himself getting excited again, remembering the texture of them on his tongue, and the sound she made when he pushed inside her.

"Oh, n-no," Koushi says quickly, turning red when he realises that he's staring and Saeko is still waiting for a reply. "I didn't mean to—I thought you wanted me to leave, and I really should get home, but we really had a good time, and I like you a l—”

Saeko cuts him off with a soft kiss, one of her hands against his jaw. 

Koushi hesitates for a split second. The door is half open behind Saeko, spilling out the sounds of the party, and Asahi and Daichi are mere metres away, probably collecting blackmail material that will see them through until next Christmas. But Saeko is warm and strong, and Koushi can still feel the sensation of her body against his skin, the taste of her in his mouth. 

He pulls her into his arms without thinking twice, deepening the kiss as he pulls her against his chest. Saeko puts her tongue in his mouth, making him shiver despite his warm coat, and they're both panting when they break apart a minute later. 

"Mm," Saeko purrs, ruffling her fingers through his hair. "That's my kind of goodbye."

A low whistle behind them makes Koushi roll his eyes. He can't tell if it was Daichi or Asahi, but he has his suspicions. 

"Sorry about my friends," he says, letting go of Saeko carefully. "I really should go."

"I'm sorry I kept you out past your bedtime."

"Ha ha."

Saeko grins and pats him on the chest with both hands. "Thanks for coming."

"Thanks for asking us."

"Oi! Suga! We're leaving without you!"

Koushi winces. "And that's my cue." He takes a step back without turning. Saeko points a fingergun in his direction and winks. 

"Night, kiddo."

 

 

It takes Koushi a week to live down the teasing, but on the plus side, the very great need for secrecy means that he doesn’t have to endure it too often. Neither Asahi or Daichi dare to mention anything about the party or Saeko unless there’s nobody else around, for fear of their parents finding out about them sneaking out and drinking. And considering they all spent most of their waking hours in class or playing volleyball, his existence is fairly tolerable.

He doesn’t hear from Saeko, which isn’t a surprise. 

Not to mention, the memory keeps him _very_ well occupied every chance he gets. 

And then, on Christmas Eve, while Daichi is off doing something with Michimiya that he entirely fails to realise is a date, and Asahi is busy working in his uncle’s store, Koushi’s mother sends him to the convenience store again. 

Hayato isn’t home this time, so Koushi can’t borrow the bike. He sighs, grabs his backpack and his jacket, and sets out to walk there. 

“Take your hat, Koushi!” his mother yells as he puts on his boots. “It’s supposed to snow later!” 

True to form, a few flakes start to fall from the oppressive slate-grey sky as he walks down the hill from their house. Koushi hurries, following the train tracks toward the station. By the time he arrives, snow is coming down fast, and he ducks into the store quickly with his head down to keep the flakes out of his eyes. His boots crunch on the newly laid out sheets of cardboard.

“Hi, Takimoto-san!”

“Koushi-chan? What are you doing out in this weather? I was just about to close up!”

“Oh hey, Suga-chan!”

Koushi looks up, shaking snow off his coat. Saeko is standing at the counter, her wallet in one hand and her motorcycle helmet in the other. 

“O-oh, hey,” he stammers, trying to smile. 

Saeko leans her hip against the counter and tilts her head. “It still snowing out there?”

Koushi nods, stepping further into the store. “It’s really coming down.”

“Mm.” 

Saeko turns away and rifles through her wallet. Koushi tries not to feel disappointed at the dismissal. He hadn’t expected anything, obviously. There was no good reason why someone as cool as Saeko would look at him once, let alone twice. He turns away after a moment and tiptoes down the aisle to grab the things his mother sent him for. To his annoyance, he finds that he’s forgotten what she even wanted, and has to check his phone for the list. 

When he gets to the counter, Saeko is gone. Takimoto-san eyes him with displeasure while he puts the groceries in his backpack.

“You shouldn’t be out in this weather,” she says indulgently, pushing a small bag of steaming meat buns across the counter toward him. “You’ll catch your death.”

“Thank you, Takimoto-san,” he says, pushing the bag back gently.

“I’m closing up, Koushi-chan,” she says, pushing it back again. “Who’s going to eat them all if you don’t take them?”

“Thank you,” Koushi says helplessly, stuffing the bag into his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. He walks back to the door. The motorcycle isn’t parked outside. He looks out at the falling snow and sighs. 

“Hey!”

Koushi jumps at the sudden yell over the blanket of quiet. He turns, and spots Saeko, standing at the other end of the store’s awning. 

She grins at him. “You want a ride?”

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](https://notallballs.tumblr.com/) | [twitter](https://twitter.com/notallbees)
> 
>  
> 
> also if you thought asahi and daichi were flirting................they were


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